Improvement in table-cutlery



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CHARLES L. ROBERTSN, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

Letters .Pate/nt No. 88,810, dated Ap/r'il 13, 1869.

IIMPROVEMENT IN TAIBLE-CUTLERY.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the, same.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES L. ROBERTSON, of the city and county of Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Handles for Table-Cutlery, and like purposes; and I do hereby declare that the following speciiication, taken in connection with the drawings making a part of the same, is aA full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Figure l is a view, in perspective, of a table-knife with my improved handle.

Figure 2`is a side view of one of the halves of the paper foundation of the handle. Y

Figure 3 is a sectional view-lthroughthe blade, the tang, and the handle.

The purpose of my invention is to produce a handle for table-cutlery, and other articles, by the employment of a combination of materials and processes, resulting iu the production of a new manufacture for such purpose.

I prepare, in the rst place, a foundation for a handle, which is to be composed wholly or principally of paper, orsome one of the manufactures from paperstock, as, for example, card-board, junk-board, bindersboard, or straw-board.

- If some one of these, or similar manufactures, is employed, the foundation for the handle should be made in two halves, as seen at A, fig. 2, by being cut by any suitable machinery, into the proper form for the subsequent operations.

Several thicknesses of thin paper, or paper-board, may be employed, instead of one thickness, if preferred, but in -such casethe several thicknesses should be glued, or, by some adhesive material, secured together throughout their length; and if additional strength is required, strips of cloth may be placed between the thicknesses of paper, and also the paper foundation may be enveloped with a wrapping of muslin, or other cloth of thin texture.

The halves of the handle so prepared, may then be accurately shaped, by being subjected to pressure between metallic dies, and during this process any ornamentaldesign or configuration may be given to or embossed upon them, which taste or fancy may indicate, provided it is not -of a character to interfere with the completion of the manufacture, by the finishing-process hereafter described.

In order that the action ofthe dies maybe complete, the foundation should be dampened sutlicieutly to enable it to take readily the impression of the dies, and

ladapt itself to their form.

After the halves of the handle have been so made, or contemporaneous with the operation of Viinishing their form by dies, the blade of the knife, or other article to which such handle is to be attached, is connected with the handle in the manner usually practised in the manufacture of table-cutlery with hard-rubber handles. y

The tang of the blade is made barbed, as shown at a, iig. 3, so that the two halves of the handle will, when pressed together, and their surfaces in contact spread with a suitable adhesive composition, by the sinking of the tang into the material forming the halves of the handle, become rmly attached thereto, and the two halves of the handle will at the same time be joined together.

Instead of manufactured paper, or paper-board, paper-pulp may be used to form a handle, in which case it will be well to have the mass mixed with glue, or some adhesive compound, to give additional stiiness to it when dried. l

The manner of moulding the material in such state, is substantially the same as that employed when plastic rubber is employed.

After the paper or paper-stock handle has been made and affixed to the article to which it belongs, in the manner above i-ndicated, or in some other similar way, and become thoroughly dry, the next operation for the completion of the manufacture, is to cover the whole exterior surface of the foundation with a suitable japanning, or enamelling-composition.

I prefer to make use, for this purpose, of the composition for which Letters Patent were granted to me, April ,-1867, to which reference may be had, .and develop the same int'o a glossy surface, by the application of heat, as described inthat patent,inasmuch as I consider it the best for the purpose, but I do not oonline myself to the use of the same.

Any japanning, or enamelling-compositiou which is of sufficient strength and consistency yto furnish an outside protecting-coverin g to .the foundation,and be impervious to water, and resist its action when heated, will answer the end, irrespective of the question whether such composition will, upon application of heat, develop a lustrous surface or not.

My invention can also be employed in the manufacture of slabs, or blanks for the handles of pocket-cutlery, in imitation of hard-rubber slabs for the same purpose.

By the employment of the invention above described, an inexpensive, and, in itself, unsuitable material, may be made use of as the foundation for handles for articles of different kinds, which, when coated with a composition, as above described, possessing the property of rendering the foundation impervious to moisture, and'shielding it from the eiie'cts of ordinary wear, results in a new and useful manufactlne possessing great beauty. V

Having thus described my invention,

I wish it to be understood that it does not reside'in nor dc I claim the manner in which the foundation is foundation, and surfaced, for a protection and finish,

moulded, Whether made from paper, or from pulp. with a, japzmning, an enamelling, or equivalent com- N either do I claim as newthe means by which the position, the same being a new manufact-ure, substanhandle is attached to the tang; but tiztlly of the character described.

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to se- CHARLES L. ROBERTSON. cure by Letters latent, is- Witnesses:

Handles for table-cutlery, and other articles made, CEAS. W. GREENE, wholly or principally of paper, or paper-stock, as a ORVILLE PEOKHAM. 

